Gas-filled cold cathode display devices have been in use for many years. Most of these devices are relatively small in size, while at the same time, there has been a need for either a single panel of wall size or a large individual panel which can be used as an element in a wall size display. Attempts have been made to build individual panels to display large characters using individual segments over one inch in length and perhaps one-quarter inch or more in width. However, cathodes of this size and area are difficult to turn on uniformly and over their entire lengths.
The present invention solves this problem by providing display panels using multiple stroke cathode segments, each of which is of small area or width and can be turned on easily over its entire width. In addition, separate power supplies or signal sources are connected to each stroke of a cathode segment so that if one segment of a stroke does not light for some reason, the other segment will usually light. It would be highly unlikely for both segments of a stroke not to light.